During this workshop you will find out how to add 24 carat gold leaf to a design on paper, inspired by beautiful medieval manuscripts. The morning will be spent practising so that you can create a small scale medieval design with gold to take home with you during the afternoon. Students can use watercolour or egg tempera (full instruction given) to paint with.

No drawing skills or experience necessary as there will be a choice of medieval designs for students to choose from, but creativity is welcomed. Students may bring their own brushes (sable sizes 000 and 1 are recommended) or use those supplied.

Advanced Medieval Manuscript Illumination

This illumination workshop focus solely on the use of manuscript gesso and loose leaf gold. Raising the gold on gesso means that it can be burnished to a high shine producing beautiful resutls. It is a more advanced technique than the one used on my Illuminated manuscripts day course so makes a interesting next step for those who have some experience. No drawing skills necessary as there will be a choice of medieval designs for students to choose from. Students may bring their own brushes (sable sizes 000 and 1 are recommended) or use those supplied.

Extracting Pigments from Rocks and Plants, Lincoln.

Learn how to create your own natural paints.

The earth is the source of the pigments used in the great paintings of the past: extracting pigments and making them into paint was a part of any artist’s practice This workshop will introduce you to this traditional skill, transforming rocks (a local stone and a semi-precious rock such as Chrysocolla) and plants (Persian berry or Madder) into beautiful watercolour, tempera and oil paint.

Medieval Manuscript Illumination, Higham Hall, Cumbria.

This workshop combines the basic and advanced manuscript illumination workshops above, allowing participants to both apply gold flat on the page and raised on manuscript gesso.

Many consider Higham Hall to be the UK’s best independent residential college providing a range of open learning experiences for adults. All meals are included in the course fee and, speaking from experience, the food is both delicious and plentiful! Higham Hall’s website is here.

The Traditional Art of Painting in Egg Tempera, Lincoln

A two day workshop during which students will learn about the traditional art of egg tempera as used by artists such as Fra Angelico and Botticelli. Participants will work on traditionally prepared panels, using pigments extracted from the earth and plants and mixed with egg to form the tempera paint.

Private Tuition

Private Tuition

I do teach a small number of students individually at home. Please email me (toniwatts@live.co.uk) to discuss your requirements.